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For 26 miles, 384 yards, Richard Limo held back little in pursuit of victory at the Rock ’n’ Roll San Diego Marathon. But with 1 yard remaining, the 29-year-old Kenyan paused in front of the finishing banner, then stopped.

“It’s very important for me, my first marathon victory,” Limo later said. “I wanted the photographers, the picture people, to take a very nice photo.”

The shooters having captured the moment, a beaming Limo walked across the line, winning in 2 hours, 9 minutes 56 seconds.

“This is wonderful,” said Limo, who finished 17 seconds ahead of Kenya’s William Chebor.

Nicholas Arciniega of Flagstaff, Ariz., finished third in 2:11:47, the highest finish ever for an American in the race’s 13-year history.

On the women’s side, Yulia Gromova is a little more familiar with the victory scene. The 36-year-old Russian won for the third year in a row, this time in 2:27:42. Ethiopia’s Shuru Diriba took second in 2:29:09.

While Gromova gave the race a bit of something old, there was plenty new surrounding the event. The marathon was combined with a half marathon for the first time. Between the two, 25,561 runners, walkers, wheelchair athletes and relay participants toured the city from Balboa Park to SeaWorld, believed to be a record for a San Diego road race.

The participants shared the same roads for more than 91/2 miles. While some people complained that the start was a bit crowded and that some half marathoners crept out of their lane on state Route 163, most runners approved the new format.

“(Volunteers) did a good job of directing you and yelling at you,” said Del Mar’s Kendra Archer, who ran the half marathon. “You can’t think when you’re running, so you need to be yelled at. You don’t know your left from your right.”

The new marathon course, featuring 8 miles along Mission Bay, also drew mainly positives critiques.

“I liked it,” Poway’s Brian Drechsler said. “It really opened up, enabling you to see more of San Diego, with the bay and Fiesta Island.”

In the men’s race, Limo, 29, was sampling the marathon for the sixth time. With a victory at 5,000 meters at the 2001 Track & Field World Championships, no one questioned his speed.

But after he finished second at the Los Angeles Marathon in late March, some might have wondered if he were fresh. Elite marathoners typically run no more than two marathons a year, usually six months apart, one in spring, the other in the fall.

“No, no,” Limo said. “I was ready to run.”

At 5 miles when the course cut through Petco Park, behind the scoreboard and in front of the Park at the Park, the lead pack consisted of 13 runners. It dwindled to six by Mile 14 on Friars Road, then three as the leaders headed to Fiesta Island at Mile 21.

“After 30 kilometers (about 18 1/2 miles), that’s when the marathon starts,” Limo said. “Everyone can run to 30K. That’s when I prepared myself to go.”

During the 22nd mile, Limo began to pull away from Leonard Muchero, would faded to fourth. If the Kenyan needed an emotional lift, he got it from Dave Alberga, the cyclist who escorted the men’s leaders.

“Twenty-five yards,” Alberga yelled back to Limo, detailing his lead.

Pretty soon, Alberta was shouting “100 yards.” Then, “150 yards.”

“That motivated me,” said Limo. “I was feeling so strong.”

By Mile 24, Limo was in good enough spirits to wave to the cheerleaders who celebrated his arrival. Regarding the bands and cheerleaders that lined the course, he said, “Every mile you get some entertainment. That was fabulous.”

While Limo waited until late to pull away, Gromova made her move at about Mile 17 and never looked back. Of her third victory in a row, Gromova said through an translator, “Three straight. I like the sound of that.”

But when Gromova was asked about the new course, you didn’t need an interpreter to understand her displeasure. Repeatedly, she kept saying, “nyet, nyet, nyet.”

“The course last year and the year before, I like much better,” Gromova said. “This year the course was very confusing. So many turns. The split between the marathon and half marathoners (at Mile 4) was absolutely crazy.”

Asked if she’ll be back next year, Gromova replaced her frown with a smile and said, “If they will invite me, yes, I will come.”